


Over the Love

by treesharadia



Category: Actor RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-13
Updated: 2013-06-23
Packaged: 2017-12-14 20:53:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/841265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/treesharadia/pseuds/treesharadia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He watches the change - the way her open anguish shifts into something totally heart-breaking before setting into the stony finality of resignation and resolve.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Present - 2014

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Here is a timeline according to the chapters:
> 
> 1\. The Present – 2014  Present-day time in year 2014. Jennifer and Bradley have not seen each other in months. Bradley has just broken up with yet another 20 y.o. and during the Awards ceremony have been dealing with the many questions of the paparazzi. J/B meet and it is awkward.  
> 2\. Then - March 2013  Their past. Around the time when news hit that Jennifer is allegedly jealous of the time he has been spending with his new flame, Suki. Have taken liberties to add more history to their story as evidenced from the concert J/B did not attend because he flaked out to surprise Suki with a Paris vaykay. This is the last time J/B really talk after J pulls out from an untitled movie they were supposed to do together.

**_The Present - 2014_ **

The strobe lights were not something she was accustomed to even after three years of walking amidst the upper echelons of superstardom - If there was ever such a thing. Having become a household name in anything rom-com and fantasy-adventure with the advent of Hunger Games and Silver Linings, it should have been a walk in the park.

Walking this particular red carpet was different. It would be the first time she set foot on something she knew for a fact he would be attending too; He being her co-star for three movies, partner-in-crime circa 2012-2013 and ex “it’s-complicated-friend” _thing_. Bradley Charles Cooper.

“Over here, JLaw!”

“Jennifer! Jenifer! How was Las Vegas?”

“What’s after _Nausicaa?_ Do you think you can top James Joyces’ work of art?”

It was also stifling. The questions, the hungry need for information about her. The snippets she would give away that would be turned around, analysed with the zeal of a PhD student, dissected and made into a hundred million icons with key phrases emblazoned on it. She remembers one from her sophomoric year as an A-lister about Michael Fassbender.

Suddenly, a strong grip steers her away from the cameras and recorders. Turning, she zeroes in on Michael’s fixed smile and blank eyes.

“Must I be the Magneto to your Mystique?” He says, without breaking his smile or his affair with the cameras clacking and lights flashing a hundred times a minute. The paparazzi were as on a feeding frenzy like sharks that smelt the blood of a possible headline ‘Couple Alert! Lawbender sails the good ship.’

At her silence, he turns toward her, “I guess a thank you will suffice. For now.” The smile grows wider.

 _Is this what flirting sounds like? Or is this friendship?_ She second guesses. She has been through the ringer one too many times and has come out disappointed more times than she can count that she pauses.

“Tough crowd.”

Then, the sea of photogs sway to the right. New meat.

“Bradley!”

“Bradley, is there life after _____________”

_Bradley Cooper. Wonderful. As if things cannot get anymore awkward –_

“I should hope so. I am here today to shop for my new 20 something year old girlfriend. Not for a nomination.” He replies, with an edge to his voice, despite the cheery demeanour he affects.

Then, he stops. And turns.

Towards them. Jennifer and Michael.

_Oh. Meet 20 something year old albeit estranged friend._

They share a look

Then he shares one with Michael.

Pause.

He gives them a nod, and calmly escapes into the great hall of the Dolby Theatre.

_Apparently it can._


	2. There is nothing like you and I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the balcony of their hotel, the Paris night sky never looked more romantic. Or depressingly dark.

** Bradifer Fic - Over the Love **

 

**_ 2\. There is nothing like you and I _ **

 

_There's nothing like you and I_

_Nothing like you and I_

_There's nothing like you and I_

**_Then - March 2013_ **

 

The page was opened on the table, the trailer was tense.

 

She looked at it with hatred, trying to avoid the speculative, piercing stare of her cast-mate.

 

“I think I’m missing something here, Jen.” He replies after a pregnant pause.

 

“I’m the one who’s missing a few pages of your life, Bradley. When did a girl start ruling your life, eating your time with friends! Come on, there is being smitten and then there’s being _fucking_ smitten. What does she have? A twenty year old, mind you. A girl so young you could be her father!” It was a low blow, but she felt vindicated in saying it, throwing back words he said to assuage the press and gain him paparazzi  brownie points. The tickets to Panic! At the Disco forgotten next to the offensive magazine.

 

“It was a spur of the moment thing.” Ignoring the snide dig she hurled at him, drawing what could be called first blood.

 

“I asked you if you wanted to weeks ago, you fucker! I could have asked – So many people would have wanted to - You know what? Go. Go for your Paris trip. But don’t expect your friends to wait for you to grow a pair.” She is nearly to the door when he pulls her back to face him.

 

He looked like he was about to hit her, but instead, decided to respond with equal parts honesty and bitterness, “grow up, Jennifer. Mature the fuck up.”

 

He watches the change - the way her open anguish shifts into something totally heart-breaking before setting into the stony finality of resignation and resolve.

 

Pokerface.

 

“Thank you for telling me the real reason why we can never work out. My nonsensical self must be such a turn off. Goodbye.”

 

“Jen-“

 

*

 

The next day, he receives a call saying Jennifer Lawrence has pulled out of their untitled movie and production has halted while they searched for a new supporting actress.

 

In the balcony of their hotel, the Paris night sky never looked more romantic. Or depressingly dark.

*


	3. Director Update

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ? If so, is Hollywood prepared for the coterie after an estranged few months for the Girl on Fire and the Sexiest Man Alive?

**_The Present – March 2014_ **

 

**_Director Update – A tour de force awaits_ **

**_By _____________, Rolling Stone_ **

****

The interior of The Palais Hotel’s lounge allows one an extensive view of its lobby and Victorian portico, so it is easy to tell when a visionary director in an ironic Hawaiian shirt walks in. Similar to his movies, he is at once intriguing and seemingly simple. There is sophistication in even the most benign greeting. He thanks the waiter for his order of lychee martini with as much flair as James Bond.

 

He refuses to comment on the recent Hollywood Couple upset that the Pitt-Jolie divorce has roused. Only to state that the dramatics of their whirlwind romance is something he as a director would be wary of and that movies, his movies, were already enough for him to fret about. It takes a classy man to make his opinion without rolling with the pigs and adding to the furor that is the Hollywood grapevine.

 

In fact, Nolan does not talk much about the personal aspects of his life, which now involves the comings and goings in Hollywood since the purchase of his own _Palais_ in 90210, but instead reminisces about the various projects he has successfully cashed in on. Not that he would use such a mercenary term but to earn $448 million in the American box office for Dark Knight Rises alone is no easy feat and should be given its due.

 

It has been a busy few years for the maker of Inception and the hardworking people in tinsel town are wondering why he has decided on his current hiatus. To this, his assuages his fans that it is not permanent. In fact, he sees a bit of _silver linings_ and _Dark Knight Rises_ in his foreseeable future.

 

Would it be accurate for this Rolling Stone journo to call dibs on a Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Christian Bale and Anne Hathaway mesh up? If so, is Hollywood prepared for the coterie after an estranged few months for the Girl on Fire and the Sexiest Man Alive? And we do not mean the bat.

 

Whatever it is, having so many accredited stars will make this one bankable tour de force. We salut you, Master Nolan.

 


	4. Smells like regret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are now in PRESENT timeline.

**_The Present - April 2014_ **

 

“Two weeks into this movie and I have to wait yet another before I can read my lines?” She questions with a dubious expression, “don’t get me wrong, the man’s a genius but I am really questioning his sanity. Is he insane? I’ve been here two weeks, Marle.”

 

Marle, personal assistant to award winning actress in question, looks on helpless as her boss suffers through a mini meltdown, unable to get a word in edgewise, “well, maybe he-“

 

“Two weeks. And for those two weeks I have been watching him play the suave hero.” Jennifer pauses, afraid that she might have said a bit too much. Marle certainly did not know about her Bradley issues. What those issues were was also up for grabs. Jennifer did not know them either.

 

“As I was saying, maybe he wants to get through shooting Conner’s past action sequences before moving on with the latter scenes that obviously includes him being Jane’s handler. Then you can be the virtuoso that we know you are.” Marle leaves, wanting to leave Jen alone for a bit. It was easier to leave her be when she got flustered.

 

Jen sighs before flopping back onto the couch in her trailer. It was nice to enjoy being with the cast and crew without the stress of getting into character. Not yet anyway. However, being reminded everyday of what they threw away, he threw away hurt. Because she was Jennifer when she watched him act. She was not Jane yet. And that made it painful.

 

Lately, she has come to regret signing onto Christopher’s new movie. She got out of the last one for a good reason and now she has to face said reason every day.

 

If only things were simple. Like when they watched movies and ate popcorn together and he did not have a girlfriend whom she feared would take his time away from her, his so-called good friend. She felt absolved of any guilt she had when she left him alone and stayed deliberately incommunicado during his break up with Suki. He went straight back onto the dating wagon again two weeks after, with yet another young starlet. Now, he has moved on from his fourth twenty year old. Whatever guilt she had, was exorcised from her months ago.

 

However, she still felt at odds with herself, like closure from the whole…issue with him was required.

 

She certainly did not want to rekindle whatever they had, but closure was important. Especially if she wanted to remain professional on their new set together, where he played her attractive handler and she his callow spy he has to extract from a rather dangerous assignment involving the skin trade in Europe.

 

She gets up from her couch and exits her trailer.

 

The first thing she sees is Bradley, top naked and holding an AK-47 replica. Sweaty, frustrated and hot. Literally.

 

She sighs again. 


End file.
